Prologue: The Laiche Family

December 9th, 1980.

The Birth Of Marcenia


It was a chilly winter afternoon, the Laiche manor was quiet. Except for the fireplace crackling in the living room, the eldest Laiche son.. Halden was sitting in his chair further away from the others, his youngest 9 month old son, Caspian, sitting on his bouncing knee babbling on about things he didn't understand and Halden wasn't paying attention, as he anxiously read a letter sent from the Dark Lord.. Voldemort.


The letter as he read further, was about a meeting set in a week, and all of the Death Eaters both new and older members were invited.


"Honestly, dear, I don't know why you're so nervous about that letter. From what I've heard, the meeting won't be until a week.. so you have plenty of time to worry about it later on." Halden's wife, Victoria had spoken up. The other Laiche brothers nodded their head in agreement with the woman, of course-out of fear, not wanting to disagree or argue. Halden finally glanced up from the parchment in his hands, he shut his eyes, swallowing to clear his throat before bringing himself to talk.. that is before he handed his youngest son to his unsuspecting 11-year old oldest son, Klaus who on instinct took his younger brother from his father. Halden had stood up, placing the letter on the end table that was beside him and walking to the fireplace, leaning on the mantel.


"Victoria. This is the Dark Lord we're talking about, of course I'm worrying! I have to be one those to speak in the meeting, and it doesn't help that I have to prepare a speech." He said with a shaky breath, Victoria had gotten up herself from sofa she was sitting on, and placed a hand reassuringly rubbing her thumb on her husband's shoulder to soothe him. "Hal, you'll do fine. I just know it, you're the best at coming up with speeches after all." She tells him with a smile, Halden looks at her out of the corner of his eye before sighing "That's just it. I don't know what I'm going to come up with, the pressure is getting to me! I want to impress Lord Voldemort and the others at the meeting!" He exclaimed, earning a few snickers from his younger brothers Eldric and Jindrich Laiche, "And what are you two exactly laughing about?" Halden retorted, shooting him a look. Jindrich made a face, looking away immediately "Oh, nothing. We were just thinking of how you seem to be impressing both Lord Voldemort, and Lucius Malfoy." Eldric responded with a grin, Halden turned around, furrowed brows as if that was the dumbest reason his brother thought of, but judging by his reaction.. Eldric knew he was right. "Of course I want to impress both of them! Especially Lucius, he's my closest friend, and I wouldn't want to let him down by giving an awful impression with my half-arsed of a speech!"


"I'm quite certain you've impressed him enough Hal. He is your best friend after all." Eldric folded his arms across his chest, chuckling.


"Best friend? He's much more than that. We've known each other since before our first years, and I'm certain when the time comes around.. my son Caspian and his son, Draco, will become just as close friends as we are." Halden proudly exclaims, "Mmhm, we'll see about that then." Eldric says, leaving it at that, before Halden could ask whatever his younger brother meant, they were stopped abruptly by the doors being opened, and in came the middle-aged Ileana Laiche, beaming with a great smile on her face.

"Evening mother." Halden said as he stood up straight to be more ''presentable'' knowing their mother would surely disapprove of slouching from her sons and scold them for it, Halden not wanting to be the victim to get smacked across the head with the woman's hand. 


And entered behind the honey blonde-haired woman, was their father his once black hair greying as he aged more, a scowl plastered on his face.


"What's making you smile like that mother dearest?" Eldric sat up straight on the sofa he was sitting at, as their mother graced her presence in the living room, where she had been all of this time the three of the brothers had no idea.


"I just came back with the most wonderful news!" Ileana exclaimed, clapping her hands together "Well, go on.. do tell us Mum!" Jindrich encouraged her, "I visited your brother, Matthias. Daphne, just had their fourth child! And..get this, it's a girl! Her name is Marcenia, and her middle name is Ilene. Oh how happy this makes me to finally have a girl be in our family." She states still smiling from ear to ear, the room then fell silent, Halden being the first to make a disgusted face at the news, Eldric, grimaced in response, looking down at the ground. Jindrich gave a half-smile, but then frowned as their father gave him a look. Victoria managed to be the one that looked on the positive side, even though the rest of the family didn't support their brother and his wife Daphne, "Well that is just great news! Happy for the two and the rest of the family. I wish them well, do tell them WE said congratulations." She spoke with a smile, Halden looked at his wife flabbergasted by her words "Victoria! WE do not wish them well. They're not apart of our family, so it's none of our business." he spoke, his words only infuriated the woman across the room.


"Halden! I do not appreciate the way you are talking about your brother. Please, at least be happy for them even if you don't like their side of the family!" She raised her voice, looking at him with both disapproval and disappointment at her son's choice of words.


Victoria gestured her children and nephews to leave the room, her oldest son nodding his head and leading his younger cousins out of the room before things got worse.


Which happened right after they exited the room. There was tension, specifically between Halden and his mother, "Oh, right. Of course I'll be happy about my blood traitor brother, having more offspring to bring even further shame to our family name! How will the Dark Lord react when he finds out there's a new addition to their mudblooded family?!" Halden shouted, glaring daggers at his mother. As much as he loved her, he despised that she still treated his brother and his wife as they were still in the family-which they weren't.. as the whole family besides his mother disowned Matthias and their father took him off of the family tree once and for all no matter how much Ileana had begged him not to do so.


{To be continued...}